Gothic Melancholy
by Serene Nightmare
Summary: The more Rissa pushes away her extraordinary talent, the worse things get. After she visits her basement, she doesn't realize that she's sealed her fate. The dark blob is ready to have her in any way possible. Running won't help, so how will she get away?


**Gothic Melancholy**

**Goth Series Book 1**

**By: Serene Nightmare**

**Authors Note: **I wasn't all too sure about writing this whole story. The paranormal has always fascinated me for an odd reason, either because I don't understand it or because I've had so many experiences myself. I want to thank Marissa, Hannah, Ariana, Laura, and Gabrielle for not saying I was insane when I told you about the things I've seen. This is dedicated to my best friends for always being there to support my insane assumptions and delusions about the spirit world.

"_Acts of kindness are often taken the wrong way. People think that you are trying to get something from them, so they don't fully appreciate your kindness. They don't just accept that someone is doing something nice for them. They go by the saying that "everything has a price". Accepting acts of kindness does not have a price."_

_-Fayth Nightmare_

The air in the room was heavy and it caused all the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. Silence surrounded her as she stepped off the last stair and stood on the basement floor. Scanning her eyes around the cold, eerie basement, she felt as if someone was watching her, searching her body for any weak point to challenge. The only sound audible was the loud thump-thump of her heart beat ringing in her ears.

Exhaling slowly, she felt her body stiffen as she took a step forward. She didn't want to be down here. Never in her life had she wanted to be down in this horrid place. It scared the shit out of her just thinking about it. Living in this house was bad enough, but going downstairs? That was a living nightmare in itself.

Ever since her family moved in here, Rissa felt watched twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. There wasn't even a second she could recall not having the feeling of being spied on. Her life here was a horror movie just waiting to happen. Why couldn't she be the shinning female actor in Saw V? At least there she would get to die quickly if she chose, but no, she had to be here, feeling stalked.

Looking down at her hands, she saw that they were shaking from the fear of being down in this dark place but she shouldn't acknowledge the dread flowing through her veins. If she did, then whatever was watching her would get delight in seeing her panic.

Clutching her hands into tight fists, she closed her eyes. Counting to ten in her head, she re-opened them and started walking toward the laundry room. The moment her feet started forward, away from the safety of the stairs, the thing that was watching her moved right behind her, getting closer with each step she took. She felt it. She knew it.

Rissa crossed the threshold and immediately felt shivers run up her spine. A nervous exhale sputtered from her lips, causing her to lose focus on the task at hand and paying more attention to whatever was staring at her. Talking to herself to spread courage, she stepped into the center of the laundry room and glanced around.

In front of her was a washing machine and a dryer, both black, sleek, and looking like they had never left Best Buy. To the right of her, the laundry room extended into a computer office where parts littered the shelves and bins. Motherboards, wires, CDs, tools, and monitors covered the tabletops which were against the white washed cement wall. Just beyond that was a water heater, air conditioner, and old toys that she hadn't picked up since she was ten years old. The plastic instruments she had played with in her childhood were packed in boxes and stacked on more metal shelves. That was an area she never went over to because there was so much clutter and lots of dark spaces.

Turning her head to the right, she saw wooden shelves with more boxes filled with decorations for the holiday and cleaning supplies needed for the household. There was a pathway that led to the end of the room and turned to the right to form a little sliver of an alcove. Beyond that turn led underneath the stairs. Ever since they had moved in, the first thing she wanted to do was go under the stairs and make a fort, but that day had changed her life.

She remembered it clearly as if it were only yesterday. She had been laughing and smiling as she ventured under the staircase, but as she got toward the end, movement sounded behind her. The smile slipped clean off her face as her nerves kicked in on instantly. A cold chill swept around her body, giving her large goose bumps all over her body. Her hands started to shake and the moment she started to shiver was the moment she didn't feel so alone anymore. She could feel eyes on her, glaring in hatred and despise. Rissa was unwelcome and now she started to believe it.

A box behind her moved, scrapping the concrete floor. Turning around with a gasp, she searched for the source of the noise, but couldn't see a thing in the pitch black. Where had the sun gone? It had been there only moments before. Was something blocking it?

Another sound startled her and fear suddenly got the best of her. Turning away from the exit, she focused her gaze to the corner where the bottom step met with the floor but this time instead of nothing, a blob of darkness was curled up. Rissa knew it wasn't just her eyes playing tricks because this shape was darker and more defined. At her next intake of breath, it shifted slightly, as if uncomfortable with the cold hard ground it was sitting on. She watched in horror as her mind wandered to all the possibilities it could be. Then, in a blink of an eye, the shape was gone, vanished into thin air. Not believing what had just happened, Rissa turned around and tried to find the shape again.

A sudden shove from behind caused her to stumble forward, creeping her out. At her ankle, she suddenly felt tight pressure squeezing around it, cutting off the circulation. Looking down, the pants that covered the part of her ankle were being pressed down were the pressure was applied against her skin. With an unexpected pang of pain, her ankle was tugged out from beneath her, knocking her to the ground. Screaming at the top of her lungs as she landed on her belly, she clawed at anything she could to try and help her stand back up. A force pulled her back toward the bottom of the staircase and her fingers slipped away from the bicycle she had grasped onto.

Looking behind her as she screamed, sweat dripping down her forehead, a black shape pulled her closer to the corner it had been in. Rissa couldn't go there. Kicking with all her might and try to escape, but the blob didn't lose its grip, and instead, the pain in her ankle got worse.

Footsteps pounded down the stairs and her mother's voice calling out made her look towards the entrance. The pressure on her ankle disappeared as the light under the stairwell was flipped on. Scrambling up, Rissa ran past her mother and straight up into her room. Later she explained to her parents what happened, but they hastily said it was just a figment of her imagination. How wrong they had been and even now she knew that her parents believed her.

Since that day, Rissa hadn't gotten within fifty feet of the space under the stairs.

But nowadays… she was damn sure she didn't want to be in the laundry room anymore. Turning back to the washer, she started to unload clothes and put them in the dryer. Then she put the clean clothes into a basket so they were ready to take upstairs when she was finished loading the washing machine. Sorting the dirty pants and underwear as fast as she could, she tossed them inside quickly.

With a sigh of relief, she slammed the door shut, feeling good that she had been able to do the laundry for her mother without having anything frighten her. The door was so clean and polished that Rissa was able to see herself in it, but something behind her was out of place. In the second she focused on the blob, it turned into a black figure.

Goosebumps instantly covered her skin and shivers swiftly crept up her back. A cold sensation came over her as she continued to look at the black figure. From beneath the stairs, she heard a couple boxes shift as if someone had pushed them aside to get out.

"No not again." She whispered in dismay.

Forgetting the clean clothing in the heavy basket, Rissa bolted up the stairs as fast as her legs would carry her. The sound of noisy footsteps followed behind her. Fear covered her forehead in cold sweat as she raced up the stairs like her life depended upon it. No way was this thing going to get her. Not again. This time, she was smarter and older.

The moment she reached the top, she twisted around and the blob thumped up the stairs quicker, getting closer and closer with each second she wasted staring at it. Opening her mouth, an ear splitting scream protruded forward as she pushed the door shut with all of her strength. Before it closed, a black hand reached to stop it from shutting.

"NO! YOU WILL NOT!" Rissa screeched, smashing her body against the door, trying to make it impossible for it to open again. What sounded like a body crashed into the other side and gave a loud thud as it collided with the solid timber. Whimpering with shock, she turned around and latched the lock to the wooden outline of the door, securing her safety for a couple minutes. Even though it was a metal lock, those could be broken with the right amount of force.

Stepping back from the basement entrance, more bangs sounded and caused the door to groan in protest. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought that there was someone pounding against the other side with their fists, trying to knock the lock clean off.

Rissa wouldn't be around for that. Sprinting to her room, she grabbed her purse and keys. Jumping out the door and down the steps, she ran to the car parked by the curb in the street. Revving the engine, she shifted it into gear and dashed to the only two people she trusted.

"Are you fucking serious!?" Nixie jumped up and out of her chair as Rissa told them exactly what had gone down just an hour before, the bag of Rolo's falling to the ground, spilling the gold pieces of candy everywhere.

Aubrey walked into the room, holding three Supernova Mountain Dew cans. "No Nix, I don't think she's kidding. Look at her, Ris is practically shaking in her fishnets."

Picking up one of Nixie's vampire books, Rissa chucked it at Aubrey, causing him to duck. Chuckling darkly, he gently tossed her a soda. "You should play softball sometime. The way you throw books makes you look like a pro." He smiled and flung the second can to his sister.

Nixie and Aubrey were fraternal twins, only born a minute apart. Aubrey was the oldest and was more protective of the two. All the boy friends Nixie dated needed to be cleared by him otherwise it was no go. He worked at one of the more popular goth club called Goths N Roses so he knew tons of people. You start a fight with him; you'd have over half the goth population after your ass. There was one thing in the world you didn't want to piss off and it was Aubrey. Mess with him and you were as good as done. He had a wicked temper along with a killer right hook. Even though he had a society of people supporting him, he could easily back up everything that came from his mouth. Being very outgoing got him a bunch of dates. Girls from left and right wanted a shot at being his one and only, but so far none had succeeded.

Nixie on the other hand was more introvert. She tended to stay in the shadows and observe everyone rather then socialize. Reading people came easy to her so with one glance at you she could tell what emotion you were feeling at that moment. Even though her shy personality covered up the real Nix, if you got to know her, she was simply adorable. With her pixie style, spiky black hair and her bright aquamarine eyes, she was the cutest thing living. While being down to earth, she has new hobbies everyday springing up out of no where. No matter where she went, she was good at everything. Though she didn't try out for sports, Nixie could go onto any field, court, or mat, and do better then most of the people on the team. She was flexible beyond belief and her kind personality made any bully turn to mush before everyone's eyes.

"Oh shut up. You know how much she hates sports, but if there was a professional book chucking contest, hell, you know she'd knock everyone out." Nixie said as she opened the Mountain Dew and taking a long swig. "Besides, I don't blame her you can be an ass when it comes to teasing."

Aubrey shrugged and opened his pop too. "She still knows that I love her though so we're all good. Anyway, what are we going to do about our ghostly fiend that's following Rissa around? Obviously ignoring it doesn't make the problem go away. What a shock, huh?"

Nixie took another long sip of her bubbly beverage and belched louder then the jock table could at her high school. Crushing the empty can under her foot, she went over to her walk in closet, and pulled out an Ouija board.

The moment Rissa caught site of the title on the box, she jumped up and shook her head. "There is no way in hell that I will EVER participate in that. I'd rather sleep in my basement then use that thing."

"Relax, I did more research and this time I won't screw up. Plus, this will help us understand what is stalking you. I thought you wanted answers, so why are you running away." Nixie asked, walking over to go sit on her bed again.

"I'm not running away!" Rissa shrieked, yanking her boots back on furiously.

Nixie raised a perfectly thin shaped eyebrow as she stared at her best friend. She was flustered and definitely scared out of her wits, but that didn't change the fact that there was something in her house. If she wanted to figure out what it was, then she needed to do what was necessary to understand what was going on.

"Of course you're not running away and that's why you're putting on your boots right? Pa-lease, save the antics for someone who cares. Face it you want to know what the fuck is in your house."

Rissa stopped and looked down at her hands. After sighing, she kicked off her shoes and lay back on the bed. Nixie was right and she knew it. Whatever was in her house didn't belong there. It never would.

"I hate it when you get all literal on me. It makes me look like a scared idiot." Rissa said as she tugged her fingers through her hair.

"That's because you are a scared idiot right now." Aubrey corrected her while leaning against the wall, staring at her with heavy anxious eyes.

Rissa couldn't deny that he was dead on and it frightened her. Facing the only thing that terrified her wasn't even on her list of things to do. The last time Nixie used the Ouija board with her, gruesome visions filled inside her head. She hadn't been able to sleep for three weeks after they used the board. Those things weren't meant to be toyed with, whether or not they are good or evil. If the user was unaware of the after affects, he or she shouldn't be near one. Many people believed that using an Ouija board opens a gateway to the spirit realm, letting any kind of demons or spirits free.

"You know what happened the last time we did a session, Nix, and I'm going to be honest, I still have nightmares. I see things no sane person would ever want to see and experience things so strange that people would think I'm crazy. I'm not crazy." Rissa eyed both her friends desperately for reassurance.

"I never said you were crazy and I never will. You've told me about the countless things you've seen. You're not crazy." Nixie clarified as she fingered the ends of the Ouija board with her thumbs.

Rissa knew that she wasn't going to compromise that statement so she didn't try. Maybe she was crazy and maybe she wasn't. Seeing glimpses of transparent people and hearing parts of conversations no human was speaking didn't make her feel any better though. It scared her more then anyone would ever realize, but trying to ignore those types of things… well so far it didn't prove to get any better.

"Fine, we'll do it at dead time."

_**3:00am – Dead Time**_

Nixie finished lighting all the candles and took her place on the right side of Rissa while Aubrey sat on the left side. They both knew that Rissa was afraid of the board in front of her and they knew that when the time was right, she would stop.

"We ask that whoever lives in Rissa's house please come forward. She wishes to speak with you." Nixie called out, her eyes scanning over the room for anything unusual.

Rissa gently places two fingers on the planchette, using a very soft, but stiff touch. She couldn't believe she was doing this. It didn't make any sense. Why would the spirit in her house travel here? What would that prove? That something really was stalking her? Spirits were known to often lie about things, give themselves a false identity. They could say whoever the person was asking for and unsuspected, gullible mind would believe it.

Minutes flew by and soon came close to an hour with no response on the board whatsoever. No sound, no cold sensation, no nothing!

"I've had it! Whatever is down in my basement under the stairs isn't here. It's probably still at my house and there is no way in hell I'm going downstairs to do an Ouija board. No fucking way." Rissa stood and started for the bedroom door, boots in hand.

"Ris, Wait! Give it some time. The spirit has to travel here and then talk, that takes a lot of energy." Aubrey tried to convince her.

Turning around, Rissa stuck up her middle finger. "No, I've waited for nearly an hour. I'm crazy. Hearing people talk when no one is around is a sign that you're insane and… Aubrey! Are you even listening to me?" Rissa fumed, her eyes sparked with anger.

But Aubrey's eyes weren't on her; they were glued to something else. Looking at Nixie so she could get some support, Rissa saw that she wasn't watching her either. They were looking past her, at something behind her.

A squeaking noise behind her made her go rigid. Her hands started to shake and a cold chill zipped up her spine. More squeaking sounded and the floor behind her groaned in protest as if someone was shifting their weight onto the other leg.

Rissa slowly turned around and was face-to-face with a dark closet. Another groan from the wooden floor board made her throat go dry. It couldn't be the thing from under her stairs. There was just no way!

She stared into the darkness and felt her skin start to tingle with apprehension. She felt so uneasy and the air around her was thick with foreboding.

Everything went quiet and only the tick of the clock on Nixie's wall was audible. Rissa held her breath as a low growl came from the closet, but no matter how ominous it felt, she couldn't move her legs. She was frozen to the spot directly in front of the open closet.

A rush of bitter freezing air splashed across her face, causing her teeth to chatter. With a slow exhale, Rissa could see her breath in the chilly atmosphere. The air around her shifted uneasily and threatened her existence. It was warning her of the potential danger that could easily awaken. She shouldn't temp the possible evil that lingered in the closet.

Rissa was immobile because no matter how hard she tried to relocate, her petrified body would send a shock that staggered through-out her insides.

The candle light started to dim as the hot wax started to creep toward the flame. The darkness beaded together, forming a new black mob right in front of her. As the spot heightened, Rissa felt the sweat dribble down the side of her face. It was cold sweat, signally the anxiety to continue to seep deep within her heart. Memories and nightmares emerged from the back of her mind. They taunted her; lured her closer to the black splotch as it approached her.

Rissa's eyes were wide open, terror dancing inside them, but she couldn't stop herself from tilting forward. The more she tried to see through the black ball, the more her eyes stung with pain. She couldn't even force herself to blink.

The dark glob inched forward, trying to meet her half way, and within a second it tripped the girl in front of it. Searching for energy, it located an electronic on the table across the room. Snatching the power away from the small plastic box, it manifested for the girl, letting her see the truth.

"Fuck! My cell phone just went out!" Nixie jumped up and started walking toward her brand new iphone. "What a piece of shit! I knew Apple shouldn't be trusted."

The see-through person in front of Rissa was crystal clear. It was a male that looked no older then twenty. He was dressed from head to toe in all black, but his hair had to be the most interesting thing about him. The bangs were pulled to the left side and gelled into three spikes that hung across down over his eye. On the top of his head, the black hair was combed to the left and the sides of were clumped so they looked upside down triangles. She could see that the back of his hair was spiked all over the place, as if he wanted to go for a scene or emo type of hair style, but his hair seemed to frame and bring out the eyes.

They were so unusual and abnormal. The demonic red was swirling with a brilliant violet color. The iridescent orbs sparkled as if someone had turned on a flash light behind his iris' to make them look menacing. The red circled his pupil and speared the purple that surrounded it. The two colors impaled each other as they collided, but as the colors clashed, they dazzled and sparkled brighter then a sparkler on the fourth of July. The vividness of them astounded her and his eyes impressed her more then anything.

Rissa's mouth dropped open as she stared at the site of the man in front of her. This… this is who was living below her stairs? But how? So many questions dashed through her mind while she continued to look him over. He was attractive for a ghost or whatever he was.

The man standing in front of her suddenly smirked and this caught her off guard. Stepping forward, he grabbed her ankle and pulled her swiftly toward the closet. Rissa screamed and tried to hold onto something, anything she could. There was no way in hell she was going into the ghost's domain.

"Nix! I think there are more important things then your damn phone!" Aubrey yelled as he hopped up off the bed and rushed over to Rissa. Taking hold of her hands, he tugged as hard as he could.

Rissa continued to scream as the man yanked her closer to the closet. Looking back, she stared at the spirit through watery eyes. Her nightmares were finally coming true.

"Don't let him pull me! Fucking help me! Don't let go! God damn it, please don't let go!" She sobbed harder and gripped Aubrey's hands as tightly as she could. She couldn't let go, no matter what, there was no way she could let go. If she did the spirit would pull her inside.

Aubrey grunted as his shoes started to slide against the wooden floor. "Damn it all! Rissa what the hell is going on?"

"Look at him! He has my ankles! Aubrey don't let go." Rissa was crying uncontrollably as the dark closet slowly got bigger and bigger the closer she got.

"What are you talking about? I don't see anything!" He rumbled with confusion.

Rissa gasped and gazed up at Aubrey, searching for any kind of deception, but couldn't find a trace. Blinking, she looked back at the man holding onto her ankles. Could Aubrey really not see him? How could that be? He was right there! Glancing over at Nixie, she saw that her friend also had a perplexed expression spread across her face. "You mean… you can't see him?" She asked softly in spite of the fact that she was being pulled to the closet.

"See who? What are you talking about?" Aubrey and Nixie said in unison.

"The spir—"

The man behind her gave a forceful yank and Aubrey's hands slipped out of hers. Digging her nails into the wood, she screamed bloody murder as she was pulled into the darkness. The closet door slammed shut and sounds of a body rustling inside could be heard. Finger nail trails were scrapped into the floor and the siblings ran for the door. Nixie grabbed the door handle and tried to jerk the door open, but it didn't budge. Rissa was stuck inside with a presence they couldn't even see.

Rissa kept her eyes shut as tightly as possible. She wouldn't open her eyes, she couldn't. That man could be right in front of her and he was someone she didn't want to look at. It shocked her that Aubrey and Nixie couldn't see him, but it didn't make any sense why she could. Maybe she was crazy. Maybe she needed to check her mental stability with a doctor because this was just disturbing.

She heard her staggered breathing ease away the silence and it didn't help calm down her nerves. All around her noises stirred, mostly scratching and creaking noises. The air around her was coated with mystifying energy. It seemed to pulse against her chest like a heart beat. The sensation was odd and baffling, but no matter the situation, she wouldn't open her eyes. Bringing her knees up to her stomach, she lowered her head and rested her forehead against her legs.

_Open your eyes, Geistanrufer._

Rissa's eyes shot open as a voice whispered inside her head. It was foreign and alien to her. Never before had she ever experienced something like this before. The voice hasn't spoken out loud, oh no, those words had been INSIDE her head. This was so bizarre and out of the ordinary. No one heard people talking inside other people's heads. It was simply impossible. Unless…

Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, Rissa held her breath and waited to see if the voice spoke again, but she refused to bring her head off of her knees. After minutes of hearing nothing, she felt a slight pressure on chest, pushing her backwards.

Placing her hands, behind her back to help prop her up, she stared down at her feet. She refused to look up because she feared seeing something spine-chilling. Concentrating on her feet, she thought about the voice she had heard. Why did she hear it in her mind? It made no sense at all why she could hear it. Shit, she was going crazy. With hearing more voices, seeing invisible people, being pulled into a closet… what was her life coming too?

_Frau, look up at me now!_

Rissa felt her heart flutter as the voice tried to shout out commands. What was happening to her? This wasn't physically possible. No one should be inside her head but her.

_Fine, Geistanrufer, if this is how you want to act, then I'll let the other find you. Maybe now you shall learn to listen. _

A gust of chilly wind washed over her face and body, causing goose bumps to prickle all over her snow white skin. More knocks and rattles echoed around her in the small closet space, but she still didn't look up.

_Mother! Help me! I'm lost, please, mother, where are you?_

_Yes, yes, we should kill them all. Blood and guts, and tremulous amounts of fun for Sam, oh yes yes._

_Why is everything so dark? Why are there so many people here?_

_LET ME THROUGH! I SAW HER FIRST!_

_Fuck you! I'll kill you, just like I killed myself, slow and painful, with lots and lots of gasoline. _

_The light is calling to me but why? Why is it pulsing? Why can I see her now? Can she be real? Where am I?_

Rissa covered her ears in attempt to shut the voices out, but they continued to poor in. She was unable to control the flow of them and it clouded her common sense. "SHUT UP!" She screamed, pushing her hands closer to her ears. Her mind was buzzing with voices and thoughts that didn't belong to her. They were foreign and they wouldn't go away.

Her head started to throb and pulse as the voices got louder and louder. Shutting her eyes tightly, Rissa tried to concentrate on her friends but was only able to listen to the unknown voices.

"Okay! Please, make them stop! I'll look up! Please!" Rissa begged to the first uncanny voice. She needed silence soon or she feared that her brain would explode. Too much commotion was going on. The more she tried to think, the louder the voices got. It was a bad cause and effect string.

The voices instantly stopped as she agreed to look up, but the pressure on chest went on regardless of her agreement. As it got stronger and stronger, the more her heart and lungs started to burn. It felt like she was working out by how fast her heart was pounding.

_Good, we're making progress already. Now look at me, Geistanrufer, am I really that scary? _

Rissa brought her gaze up and she stared at the man sitting directly across from her. Meeting his eyes, she watched him intently, afraid that he would let the voices attack her again.

_No, I won't let them speak to you unless you want to talk to them, but I want a favor from you. _

"I'm not crazy am I?" Rissa asked, still skeptical about him being real instead of an illusion.

_You are not crazy, not by far. Now, will you do me a favor or do I have to persuade you again? _The transparent man before her smirked a wicked grin, causing a shiver to slip down her back.

"No, you don't have to but before I do you a favor, I want proof that I'm not crazy."

The man's smirk fell off his face quickly and he stood up, displaying his full height to her. _What more proof do you want? I'm standing right here. How could you want more proof then that? _

It was Rissa's turn to smirk. For her sanity, she needed to get him to talk with her and the twins. "I want you to talk with my friends and I. They can't see you and—"

_Of course they can't see me! _He snapped coldly, throwing his hands into the air frantically. _They're not like you! _

"What am I then?" She asked, trying to get more information out of him before she would agree to the favor he wanted.

The man lifted his upper lip into a vicious sneer. With a low growl, he twisted around and ran a hand through his hair. Rissa watched him and prayed that he agreed. She wanted the twins to experience something from him, either by using the Ouija board or touching them.

Pacing around in the closet, the man kept glancing at back at her. After a few minutes of watching him walk in circles, he sat back down in from of her, calmness washed over his facial features.

_Fine, what do you want me to do? _He asked, his eyes swirling with unfamiliar emotions.

"I want you to talk using the Ouija board. I don't know if they can hear you like—"

_Of course they can't hear me, Geistanrufer, because as I said before, they aren't like you._ He interrupted rudely.

"You keep calling me that. What does it mean?" Rissa asked as she shifted on her butt to keep it from falling asleep.

_It means spirit caller. _

"In what language?"

_German_

"You're German?"

_No shit Sherlock, how would I know it if I wasn't German myself?_

"You could be from a different country. People can learn any language they want. What's your name?" Rissa continued to drill him with questions, testing what boundaries she could cross without stirring up anger.

_None of your business, but back to our main topic, what am I suppose talk about through that gay board? _

Rissa raised an eyebrow at his expression toward Nixie's board. "A board can't be gay and I want you to talk about yourself."

The man narrowed his eyes as she told him what she wanted. _Talking about myself is something I don't do. _

"Then I won't do the favor for you." Rissa crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly.

The man growled again angrily and leaned forward, going nose to nose with her. He stared into her eyes and she couldn't help but get lost in his. The deeper she looked into his, the more she got lost. They swirled with the intensity of a rising storm and dragged her into a world she would never understand completely. The red and purple pulsed brightly like the sun in mid day. Rissa was entranced by the very sight of them and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't turn away.

He tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. _I'll give you credit, you're smarter then the other people I've talked to. At this point they would have given in and gave me whatever I asked for. Hell, I could've said, "hey you let me take control of your body" and they would have given me permission. Not you though… and this is new to me. In my life time women would give anything to be with me yet you deny me the one thing I want because I won't do your bidding. _

"A favor for a favor, haven't you ever heard of that?" Rissa asked, still looking deeply into his eyes.

_Not where I come from no, but I will give you recognition for it. _He said, while standing up.

Rissa stood up as well and put her hand on the door knob, but didn't open it. "And where are you from?"

He chuckled and shook his head at her question. _You've already gotten me to do enough. I'm not going to reveal where I was born… yet. _He smirked and walked through the door, leaving Rissa behind.

Whack! Aubrey was bashed in the face with the closet door as Rissa pushed through. Hitting the ground on his rear end with a definite thud, he rubbed his forehead with the palm of his hand. "What the hell was that for? I was coming to get you?" He barked out blindly.

Rissa blinked down rapidly at him, wondering why he was sitting on the ground. "Why are you on the floor?" She asked, bewildered.

Nixie laughed at the expression on her brother's face as he stared up at Rissa. "Why did my phone have to die? This is such an iphoto moment." She continued to laugh even after Aubrey gave her a look of disgust. Taking a moment to calm down and get herself collected, Nixie cleared her throat in a professional manner. "Despite my brother's facial expression, would you mind telling me what the hell went on in there? We've been trying to open that damn door for nearly half an hour! We thought you had died or something. So explain, now." Nixie demanded, putting her hands on her hips.

The man suddenly appeared behind Nixie and smiled wickedly. _You might as well tell her the truth seeing as her brother looks like he's about to jump you. Hurry up though, I don't want to waste my time listening to you retell the whole conversation we just had. I have better things to do._

Rissa rolled her eyes and walked over to the Ouija board on the coffee table in the middle of the room. "To summarize it all up, I was talking to the thing that pulled me into the closet and it agreed to speak with us using the Ouija board. We can ask whatever we want and it should answer it." She turned her gaze over to the man and glared at him. He was lying back against Nixie's headboard fiddling with his pants.

He met her glare with one of his own, sending a cold shudder down her body. _Who you calling an it, frau? Just because I'm doing what you want doesn't give you the jurisdiction to give me the nickname it. _

Rissa snickered and motioned for the twins to come over. "C'mon, it's getting pissed off."

The man frowned and brought his legs over the side of the bed. She could tell that he was getting angry but she let that slide. She had a feeling that he wanted whatever his favor was done and over with, so he'd have to put up with her shit. _You're lucky I need you, Geistanrufer; otherwise you'd be eating floor right about now. I not the type of person to let those kinds of things go without punishment. _

Nixie took her spot to the right of Rissa while Aubrey went to the left. Placing one finger on the planchette, Rissa and Aubrey followed Nixie's lead. "Whoever pulled Ris into that closet and rattled the shit out of her, I wish to speak with you. I wish to know your methods."

Rissa elbowed Nixie in the side and scoffed. "He didn't rattle me shitless. He just cheated."

The man came over and sat across from them with a sinful smile planted on his face. _I'm beginning to like this other chick already. She sure knows how to get a man's attention quickly. _

Rissa coughed roughly to try and cover up the word idiot as best she could. Nixie turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Did you just call me an idiot because I swear to freakin Chuck Norris I will knock a couple teeth out?"

Rissa laughed and smiled softly. "No, you're not an idiot, and we later we need to have a chat about Chuck Norris. That mofo needs to leave your vocabulary."

"Then who were you talking about? If it was directed at Aubrey, then by all means keep going on the lines of idiot, but I was thinking more of the word dic—"

"Nix, did you know that I have to work a shift with Christian next week and to think that at any moment I could fill him in on the crush you have for him." Aubrey threatened darkly, his eyes flashing sinisterly.

With a slight blush now tinting Nixie's face, she focused all her attention on the Ouija board. "Can you tell us your name?"

The man across from them rolled his eyes, looking extremely bored now. _Why is that the first question everyone asks? _Then with a sigh of disgust, he guided the planchette across the board, and spelled out K-L-A-S-E.

Rissa looked up at the man, who she could now recognize with a name. "Was that so hard to say" She blurted out, disgusted that he had gone through all that trouble and not even give her the first letter.

Klase grinned proudly as if he had won a million dollars. _Yeah it actually was worth it since I got to see the reaction on your face. _He said while snickering comfortably.

Rissa fumed with rage at Klase's comment. "Yeah fuck you too." She said before turning back to the twins. They both stared at her, alarmed from her sudden outburst. Blinking quickly, she couldn't hide the red blush that coated her face. "What?"

"Who were you talking to just now, since it obviously wasn't either of us." Nixie inquired curiously.

"I… uhh, well, you see… ummm." Rissa tried to find words to explain what had just happened.

Klase chuckled loudly, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he stared at her. _Busted._

Rissa shot a look of hatred toward Klase causing his laugh to increase in volume. "Okay so… remember how I said there was a man pulling me into the closet and you asked who I saw? Well, I can see and hear… him. I don't know why, but right now, Klase is sitting right in front of us laughing his balls off because I blew my cover."

Klase silenced his laughter quickly and looked down between his legs, reassuring himself that his balls were still intact and good to go.

"Blow your cover?" Nixie repeated confusion twisted into her words. "You know you can tell me anything Rissa and I won't ever think you're crazy."

"Except for that one time when she tried to convince me that a stripper lived inside my closet and only came out when I was asleep, because that was a load of bullshit." Aubrey exclaimed suddenly, his face contorting into a questionable appearance.

Nixie rolled her eyes, annoyed that he had interrupted her train of thought. "You were just too gullible and that was at the point where porn was just being introduced to you, you sick ass mother fucker."

Aubrey smiled arrogantly and put his arms behind his head smugly. "Aww, those were the good old days."

"Shut up before I cut off your pride and joy." Nixie beamed as her brother shifted uncomfortably. Turning back to Rissa, her smile softened dramatically. "As I was saying, don't be afraid to tell me something. I'm not the type to judge, especially you. You're my best friend, Ris, and I couldn't ever think you crazy. I know about the paranormal because I've experienced it first hand countless times. There are other people out there who share the same talent as you, maybe not exactly, but something similar. We just need to do some research and see what we can find out."

Rissa's eyes glowed with praise as she looked at Nixie, but she was right. There shouldn't be any reason for her to withhold information from her. Never in any of the time had she known Nixie had she ever flat out judged her. It simply was not in her nature.

"You're right, I'm sorry, I just… this is all very strange for me because in that closet, I thought I was barking mad. Talking to a transparent person plays with your state of mind a little bit. But, yeah, I can see… Klase and other dead people if they are around me. It's been going on for a while I just didn't know how to tell you." She confessed quietly, lowering her head with embarrassment.

Nixie wrapped one arm around Rissa's shoulders, offering comfort like a mother would. "Don't be embarrassed. I'm sure it's not easy to admit something like this to others. It's like letting people inside your head and trusting someone with that kind of information isn't as simple as TNT makes it seem. All they know is drama. Now, let's just continue using the Ouija board since we've already started it."

Putting her finger back on the planchette, Rissa and Aubrey copied her. Klase sighed and slammed his head against the table. _Here we go again. You couldn't just relay my answer to them could you? No, you had to make me do all the work. _He whined childishly.

"Well I'm sure you won't be doing much work when I'm going through with you're favor." Rissa commented causing Klase to look up at her with his menacing eyes.

_Touché, _He replied with a small smile. _You know, I'm beginning to like having you all to myself. You're entertaining._

Nixie straightened her back and nudged Rissa in the ribs, signally that she was going to ask a question. "Where were you born?" She asked, looking directly across from her, even though she couldn't see him, it was polite to look at the person you were talking to.

_Too bad she can't see me; I might knock her off her feet by my good looks. _Klase smiled and directed the planchette around the board.

"You're from Germany? I knew it!" Rissa shouted, excited that her assumptions had been correct.

"How did you die?" Aubrey asked without thinking.

Klase's eyes went flat and he stared at Aubrey. _That is something you never ask a spirit who was recently killed. I'm done. _Standing up, he gazed at Rissa. _I'll meet you back at your house. I hate this room. _He said before disappearing.

Rissa sighed and took her finger off the planchette. "He's gone because Aubrey asked the wrong question."

Nixie punched her brother in the arm. "You dummy! You're not ever supposed to ask a spirit that!"

"That's what he said but anyways, he wants to talk at my house, and I'm assuming he wants to chat alone. It'll be quicker for me to get information out of him that way. I'll call you tomorrow Nix. Bye Aubrey." Rissa waved and grabbed her shoes. After she shut the door, she heard a loud yelp of pain. Hopefully Nixie would take it easy on him; bruises never looked good on Aubrey.

Klase opened his eyes as Rissa walked in. Sitting up on her bed, he patted the spot in front of him. _Come sit down, I made the spot nice and cold for you. _

Rissa stuck out her tongue before sitting down on her bed with him. "So can I ask you more questions or are you going to get mad and say piss off?" She asked while cracking her knuckles.

He chuckled and shook his head. _No you can ask me anything I guess. I just don't like to think about my death very much, if you couldn't tell. It wasn't the most pleasant thing for me to experience. _

"Yeah, I can imagine." She said with a curt nod.

Klase stared at her skeptically._ How would you know that talking about your death is disturbing? You're still alive._

"Well, that question fits in with the other questions you should never ask anyone." Rissa tried to explain.

_Oh? What other sort of questions fall into the "questions you don't ever ask" category?_

Rissa thought for a moment and leaned back against the wall. "You never ask a woman her weight and you never ask any questions when a woman is on her period. When the time of the month comes around, stock up on chocolate, sappy romance novels, and fluffy pillows. Trust me, the pillows give great comfort when you're lying down and groaning from the pain caused by the cramps."

It took Klase a little bit to take in everything she had just told him. In the mean time, he continued to stare at her, fixated at her words. After taking in everything he busted out laughing so hard he fell off the bed. Rolling onto his back, his feet kicked in the air like a bug scrambling to get back on its feet.

Rissa blushed as Klase continued to laugh hysterically. Bringing her legs up to her stomach, she hugged them to her chest tightly. Pouting wasn't really her thing, but she felt kind of awkward sitting there while he cracked up. She didn't think it was very funny; everything she just said had been true down to the pillows. They honest to God helped more then a heating pad did.

_You… you are really something, frau._ Klase said between laughs. He sat back up and looked at her with a wide smile on his face.

"What are you talking about?" Rissa glared down at him, still annoyed that he had laughed at her.

_Don't be angry at me. I wasn't laughing at you, I swear. I was laughing at the fact that you're funny. I don't think I've ever heard anything like that before. _Klase covered up a quick chuckle with a cough but still got the death glare from Rissa. Smirking, he stood and sat down next to her. Wrapping an arm around her back, he gave her half of a hug.

She shivered as a cold sensation came across her back where he was touching her, but didn't shrug away his attempt at comfort. She had a feeling that Klase didn't soothe anyone for any purpose, so right now, she felt special.

_Sorry for the cold._ He apologized and started to pull his arm away after he felt her shiver.

"It's alright, I honestly don't mind. It just feels like the AC started blowing on me, that's all." Rissa justified quickly, not wanting him to take away his arm.

Klase smiled and readjusted his hand so he was cupping her shoulder. _As I was saying though, I find you amusing and witty. I've never come across someone like you, chicks or dicks. _

It was Rissa's turn to have a good quick laugh. "You know, I don't think I would have ever expected you to admit something like that. I don't know you well at all, but I can sense a few things from you."

He shifted in his seat and grew uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. _What do you honestly sense from me?_ He asked, even though he was still unsure that he wanted to know.

"I get a feeling that you want to keep to yourself and not let anyone get close. I get the picture of a large vault when I try to expand on that, like a bank a secured safety deposit box."

Klase scooted away from her and lay back against the covers. Turning to his side, he propped his head up with his hand. Rissa knew that she had touched some type of nerve by saying that. She wanted to understand what that meant to him. She wanted to help him in any way she could, but the only way that would be possible was if he told her exactly what was bothering him.

Crawling toward him on her knee's, Rissa reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "Klase, I don't know what you've been through, but I want to help. Plus, I still have to do your favor for you. A deals a deal." Her voice was reassuring and soft with compassion, catching him off-guard.

Nearly tumbling off the bed with surprise, Klase coughed and turned so that he was on his back, looking up at her with his blazing extraordinary eyes. _You would want to help me? Why? What if I left after you helped me? Wouldn't you be irritated? _

Rissa shook her head lay down next to him, so they were parallel to each other on the bed. "No, I just simply want to help you. Do you not want my help or are you just afraid to ask?"

Klase bolted up and glared down at her with annoyance. _I'm not afraid to ask! I've just learned that with every ounce of kindness I get, there is always something later that comes to bite me in the ass. The last time I accepted someone's help was the day I died. _

"I didn't mean for the conversation to end up like this, believe me." Rissa sighed then turned over and lay on her stomach. "Anyways, going away from that topic, what was the favor you wanted?"

Lying back down with her, he put his arms behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, reliving the one memory that would always haunt him. _When you fall asleep and see what I see, then and only then will you be able to understand what I want. I'd rather not talk about it, but I'll show you. _

Rissa flipped back over and looked at him curiously. Opening her mouth to comment, Klase quickly placed a hand over it, cutting her off. _You'll understand when you sleep. Now go to bed before I decide to knock you out. _

Her eyes widened before tugging down the black covers and climbing into the bed. As she snuggled into the fabric and the soft fluffy pillows, Rissa turned to gaze at Klase. "Will you be here in the morning?" She asked while yawning loudly.

He smirked and climbed to go sit on her feet. _I won't move, promise. _

Rissa glared and kicked at the covers above him. "You know, my feet like to be warm when I sleep, so if you wouldn't mind—"

_Oh shut up, you'll live, now close your eyes before I put you to sleep. You won't like my methods though, fair warning._

But before he finished talking about his threat, Rissa was breathing deeply and dreaming the nightmare which would haunt Klase forever.

The walls were filled with paintings of biblical stories, portraying the before and after effects of fights and confrontations. Millions of images horded the stone walls as she walked past, each one catching an interest of hers. She was never much for church, seeing as her family never went to Sunday mass, but the stories of the old always caught her eye.

The floor she walked on echoed each foot step she took, causing the hallways to fill with the noise of her heels clanking against the vast marble ground. This church amazed with each and every corner she turned. With each meter she walked, the more she became fascinated with the pictures covering the walls. Each clunk of her shoes brought her closer and closer to another story portrait.

As she rounded the corner, a painting so large that it covered the entire hallway, greeted her eyes. Gasping with amazement, she carried on her merry way, attracted to the epic colors layering the canvases.

She slowly made her way down as her eyes scanned over the long mural of the Third Crusade. Knowing such little history about it, she walked on and looked at the route the European leaders took to conquer the Holy Land. After the failure of the Second Crusade, the Zengid dynasty took command and unified the Egyptian and Syria forces. The Third Crusade was also known at the Kings' Crusade.

Beside her, the black lab walked in sync with her foot steps, not missing a beat. Smiling down at the dog she grew up with, she kneeled down and started to pet Dakota gently. Just as her fingers touched the ink black fur, Kota opened her wide mouth and barked. Jerking her head up in the direction of the bark, she saw the silhouette of a man walk into a dark room at the end of the hallway.

Standing up, she walked cautiously toward the door, Dakota following right behind her. When she reached the black room, she only searched with her eyes for fear that the man would attack her if she got any closer to the domain. At her back, Dakota was growling deep in her throat, warning her that there was immediate danger inside.

When she saw nothing, she turned around and looked at Kota, who was still growling viciously. "Koto, it's alright, he's—"

But before she could finish trying to calm down her dog, Dakota leaped forward and attacked a shadow figure standing in the door way. Loud barks and snarls ricocheted off the walls, causing the sounds to amplify. Turning to run for back up, she fled quickly, her heart racing faster than an engine in NASCAR.

Sprinting down the marble hallway, she kicked off her heels, helping her run faster. A piercing yelp behind her signaled Dakota's defeat with the man and now she could hear him chasing after her. Panicking, she willed herself to go faster.

When she reached the tall stairwell, she leapt down them two or three at a time. Good thing she had completed her training, otherwise these would be a huge problem. Jumping onto the flight landing, she looked behind her and the man was only a few stairs behind. Gasping, she started down the next flight of stairs with much more terror coursing through her mind.

She reached the bottom in record time but the man tackled her to the ground easily. Twisting in turning in his arms, she fought for control. Her heart pounded in her ears above all the rest of the noise and she felt her stomach grumble. Her teeth started to pulse with each second her hunger grew. She couldn't help herself anymore, she needed the crimson blood to flow between her lips and satisfy her with the nutrients she craved more then air itself.

Sinking her fangs deep into his neck it caused the man to cry out in desperate pain. After gulps of fresh, warm blood, she pulled back and stared down at the man who was passed out on the ground in front of her. Tilting her head to the side to get a better glimpse at him, something on his arm caught his attention. The word melancholy was tattooed neatly on the inside of his left arm in fancy seraphim font, just like…

She rolled up her sleeve and stared down at the word gothic in correlation to the man's tattoo. Bringing her eyes, she sighed with defeat. It was him and she had been too blind to see it. Lifting her head, she screamed bloody murder up at the ceiling, filling to church with a drastic cry of suffering.

Rissa jolted up with cold sweat covering her body. In front of her Klase was sitting in the exact spot he had been just hours ago. Searching his eyes for some emotion, she found none. No comfort, no hurt, no nothing. He was a blank canvas like the moment she met him. There was no open book to read anymore.

"Klase… what was that?" She asked while panting heavily from stress.

He shrugged and got off the bed. Going over to the window, he looked outside at the bright colors of day. The rays of sunlight passed directly through him and he didn't seem to care. _That was just the background of the favor I want you to do for me. _

"Who were those people and what does that have to do with your favor?"

Klase smiled sadly as he continued to stare out the window. _That man you saw… that was me and the woman was a friend of mine. What I wanted was for you to travel to my hometown and tell her… tell her that I'm alright and that I love her. I know it's a lot of money to travel to Germany and you don't have to but I was just hoping that maybe—_

Rissa's expression changed to a soft understanding look as she nodded. "I'll do it." She said while getting up and stretching.

His eyes glanced up at her with surprised. _You would… do that for me? Even though you don't know me hardly at all? I'm a complete stranger and you're willing to pay a couple hundred dollars to go visit someone you don't even know?_

"I trust you and this is obviously very important to you, so I'll do it." She walked over to the computer in the corner of her room and turned it on. After it was up and running, she went onto the internet and booked a flight to Germany. Then she turned to him and stared. "What town?"

Klase gawked at her as if she was an alien with strange boils on her face. _You're serious aren't you? There's no catch or anything? No I want this if I do this for you, kind of thing?_

She shook her head and continued to watch him, while waiting for the answer.

_N__ϋrnberg, that's the city where she lives in. I'll give you the address later so you can plan out how you're going to get there. _

Rissa booked her flight and started packing because tomorrow was the day she left for the one and only Nϋrnberg, Germany.

Rissa stepped out of the cab and onto the sidewalk. Paying the driver to stay and wait for her return in a half an hour. Walking up the stairs to the house in front of her, she knocked, hoping that somebody would be home. Inside she heard footsteps and then a latch being taken off. The door swung open and revealed and slender woman that looked… almost exactly like Klase.

"May I help you?" She asked politely, her eyes scanning over Rissa's figure.

"Hi, ummm, here by a friend named Klase and—"

"How do you know about Klase? He couldn't have sent you here for he no longer is living. Who sent you?" The woman command, her eyes flowing with anger.

Behind the woman, Rissa saw Klase appear and look over the area. Running his hand over the oak furnishing, his eyes studied the wood as if it was an antique. Then he looked over at her and smiled softly. _Tell her you're a __Geistanrufer and she'll understand right away. Otherwise you might want to run because she will attack you. Saying my name hits a nerve and getting her pissed off is the last thing you would want. _

Swallowing the lump that suddenly rose in her throat, Rissa gazed back at the woman before her. "I'm a Geistanrufer and Klase has asked me to relay a message to you from him."

The woman's eyes went wide with shock and the next thing Rissa knew, she was inside the house with the door shut tightly behind her. She let the woman drag her into the living room and sit her down on the fluffy couch.

"Klase… wanted to tell me something?" She asked as she held Rissa's hand tightly. Tears started to cloud her eyes and leak down her pale cheeks. She looked so distressing and sad that Rissa couldn't help but stroke her hand, trying to comfort her as much she could.

"Yes, he has told me nothing about you but he wished for me tell you that he's alright and that he loves you."

The woman didn't hold the tears back any longer and she collapsed into Rissa. Her sobs and cries of grief roamed around the room, tainting any happiness that lingered.

"This means so much to me because…" The woman sniffled and sat up as she whipped her eyes. "He's was my guardian ever since the day I joined the darkness. Klase meant everything to me and I failed him…"

Rissa pulled the woman into a friendly hug and held her for a couple minutes. "I don't know if would want me to tell you this, but I can see him and talk to him. Right now he's with us, watching you with a loved expression on his usual smug face." She said kindly, pulling out of the hug.

The woman smiled and chuckled, imaging Klase's smug face. "Yes, he was a bit too smug all the time, but none the less, he was a great person." Wiping her eyes again, she grinned at Rissa. "Thank you for coming. This means so much to me and now that I know that he's safe and taken care of, I can stop mourning. Thank you again."

Rissa smiled back and patted the woman's hand. Then reaching into her purse, she took out a pen and a scrap piece of paper. Jotting down her cell phone number, she then placed the paper into the woman's hand. "I'm Rissa and you can call me whenever you like. I'd be happy communicate what he's saying to you."

"Thank you Rissa, for everything. This is more then I could ever ask and I'm Isabella by the way."

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, but I have to catch my flight back to the US. It's been a painful trip, but I survived, and please, any time you wish to talk with him, call." Rissa said standing up and heading for the door.

"The pleasure is all mine, Rissa, I'd be happy to have you visit another day. You'll always be welcome in my home." Isabella followed her to the door and opened it for her new friend. "I will take you up on your offer as well. Thank you once again." She said before bowing graciously.

"It's not a problem, thank you for having me." Rissa waved good bye and hopped into the cab.

On her way to the airport, Klase appeared beside her with an enormous grin spread across his face. _Thank you Rissa, you have no idea what it meant to me for you to do this. _

Rissa smiled and stared out the window. "I think I have some idea and don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you're soft side, but I do have a question for you."

_Ask away._

"What's up with the tattoos? I know what they mean, but there has to be something behind them both."

Klase chuckled and looked down at his left arm. Tracing the letters with his finger, he smiled again. _She said I was her guardian after she joined the darkness and every pair needs to have a good reason for being matched up with one another. Isabella was the goth of my existence and I was the melancholy of hers. We completed each other and so we decided to let the world know what we meant to each other, but after my death, our personalities switched and I became the goth and she the melancholy. Does that make any sense?_

"It makes total sense, but I don't see how you're goth, I mean look at you. Just because you like black doesn't classify you as goth, you dip." Rissa snickered as Klase flipped her off.

_At least I'm not the one talking to myself. Take a look at the cab driver. I think he's about ready to chuck you out and call you crazy._ Klase laughed as she looked at the cab driver eyeing her suspiciously.

Rissa rolled her eyes and continued to look out the window, staring at the airport as it came into view. "So did you like Isabella or something?" She asked, not caring if the cab driver through her out.

Klase laughed and sat back in the seat next to her._ That my friend is a story for a different day._

The End

**Authors Note: **Don't miss the next installment to this story, Goths N Roses. You'll get to find out more about Klase, Rissa, Nixie, Aubrey, and more secrets about Rissa's talents are revealed, but this time she needs to figure out why voices scream at her when she walks into the club Aubrey works at.


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